Asus simply introduced the OLED Xbox Ally X of my goals

Should you requested me what I’d change concerning the Xbox Ally X handheld — other than fixing Home windows, I imply — I’d inform you two key issues.

First, give me a much bigger, higher display screen. Even a bit bit larger, so video games really feel much less claustrophobic and with much less ugly bezel. Second, eliminate the “Library” button. I’m so bored with an unintended press booting me out of my recreation and into the Xbox library with out a easy strategy to get again.

With the just-announced ROG Xbox Ally X20, Asus did each — after which some. It’s now a slick translucent handheld with drift-resistant GuliKit TMR joysticks, a reworking D-pad that goes from 8-way to 4-way by dropping its corners whenever you rotate it, button tweaks, haptic suggestions tweaks, fan tweaks… and what might now be the most effective display screen on a handheld but.

Not solely does the Xbox Ally X20 improve from an 7-inch IPS show to a 7.4-inch 120Hz OLED on the similar performance-friendly 1080p decision, the display screen sounds improbable. It’s a 600-nit panel in SDR with HDR peaks of 1400 nits, even greater than the Lenovo Legion Go 2, although each are licensed VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000. And, it helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient.

Just like the Legion Go 2, it’s additionally bought an improved variable refresh charge (VRR) that goes right down to 30Hz as an alternative of the 48Hz on the unique Ally, which might make video games really feel smoother when the AMD Z2 Excessive chip can’t fairly make a recreation hit 48fps to start with. It’s the identical chips right here as within the unique Xbox Ally X, by the best way: AMD Z2 Excessive, with 24GB of 8000MT/sec RAM and 1TB of storage.

The hand held is barely larger to assist accommodate the adjustments: 9mm wider, half a millimeter thicker, and 41 grams heavier.

Not solely is that “Library” button gone, it’s been changed with a brand new “Motion” button that sounds genuinely helpful: It’ll take a screenshot with a single press or a recording with a protracted press, like immediately’s console controllers usually do.

The ABXY buttons now sit flush in opposition to the casing whenever you press them down, the bumper switches are relocated and have an extended, quieter throw for higher suggestions, and the followers have been barely redesigned to channel extra recent air by the chassis for decrease touchscreen temps, Asus spokesperson Anthony Spence tells me.

Plus, the Xbox button now lights up inexperienced, which simply sounds cool — and it has a far sooner microSD Categorical card slot, just like the Nintendo Swap 2.

What’s not so cool, and admittedly doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me, is that Asus gained’t allow you to purchase it alone. This vacation, it’ll solely come as a part of a bundle with a pair of Asus and Xreal’s expensive R1 glasses, which (at $849) price virtually as a lot as a $1,000 Xbox Ally X all by themselves.

Asus isn’t pricing the bundle but, however I think the bundle is extra to assist cushion the excessive value of the hand-held — at a time each different handheld is getting pricier — somewhat than to assist promote glasses at a reduction.

I really suppose a set of Xreal glasses are a great way to enhance on smaller, extra claustrophobic handheld screens, but when I’m shopping for a brand new Ally to get a greater display screen, do I really want the glasses too?

I suppose I’ll dream on. For what it’s price, Spence says he nonetheless hasn’t heard of any plans to extend the worth of the unique Xbox Ally X. It’s nonetheless at $1,000 for now. I’ve requested whether or not Asus will provide a strategy to remap the unique handheld’s Library button, too.